Frozen Embers
by Written Parody
Summary: Zutara Week 2011: Mask, History, Social Networking, Secret, Awkward, Legendary, Caught. T for mild suggestive themes and language. Contains mild Sukka and faint hints of Taang.
1. Mask

**AN: **To my fellow Zutarians: welcome, brethren. To those who read this and do not ship Zutara: welcome, friends. First off let me wish you a very happy beginning to Zutara Week 2011. I am very honoured that on your search you have decided to come and visit my little conglomerate.

Yeah, this is going to be the place where I post all my contributions to Zutara Week 2011. I cannot promise you that any of them will be free of clichés, completely grammatically correct, actually stick to the prompt the whole way through, an adequate length, original or basically any good at all. I can, however, promise that every fic will arrive on time and that all your criticisms/suggestions will be taken to heart. This year's bunch was written in a dreadful hurry and I'm sure it shows so please bear with me.

One other thing I can promise is that every review will be answered personally. It may take a while, depending on how evil my teachers are this week, but it will happen. I cannot, however, respond personally to every person who faves and/or alerts this. I simply just don't have the time – I'm so terribly sorry. So I say here: thank you to everybody who faves, alerts, lurks or even reads the title :P And for the reviewers… Well, you should all know by now how addicted a writer is to reviews. I am no exception.

Finally on to the actual prompt for the day. This one gave me a lot of trouble, actually. It probably wouldn't have if my lazy nature and my muse didn't differ so much. I took one look at the word and went, "Oh great! Something to do with the Blue Spirit, then." My muse went, "No." I insisted that it was the easiest thing to do. My muse went, "No." I told my muse that I had six other fics to write in three days before I was bogged down with homework. My muse went, "No." I re-watched _The Blue Spirit _to get ideas. My muse went, "No." I finally gave in and asked if I should look up the word in the dictionary for more ideas on what to write. My muse said, "Finally. Yes." (And then I sneaked a reference in right at the end anyway, but that doesn't count.)

And this is what happened. Neither me nor my muse is very happy with it but… Yeah. Maybe things will improve tomorrow. Even now the more I look at it the more OCC the two of them seem to be. Which is just infuriating. So sorry for that. I hope you enjoy a little, though. Sorry for the insanely long AN (as usual).

**Disclaimer**: Avatar: The Last Airbender does not belong to me. Zutara Week is not mine, either. I do own a copy of the Oxford Dictionary that helped me out, though.

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><p><strong>Day One: Mask <strong>

Mask: 

*A disguise or pretence- _she let her __mask__ of moderate respectability slip_

* Activity that tries to conceal something - _no mask could conceal his ignorance; they moved in under a mask of friendship _

_* _Something, often a trait, that disguises or conceals

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><p>Suki could not have picked a better time for the long-planned gaang vacation. It was the start of summer and so the weather was fair and warm but not yet overbearing as it usually got in the Fire Nation. They were, once again, on Ember Island staying in the holiday house that now officially belonged to Zuko. And although there had been much deliberation about inviting others it turned out that only the six 'real members' of their little family ended up going. The final decision not to invite others was made after a unanimous decision that too many people would cause stress and trouble – the two main things they were going on vacation to get away from. The last year had been so full of post-war damage control that the six friends had barely seen each other at all and had been dropped in so many irritating situations with over-emotional people that they just wanted to spend a week with the other five people in the world that only drove them moderately up the wall. And, besides, the queries about whom everybody would bring along turned out to be the catalyst for very awkward situations.<p>

Like when they asked Zuko if Mai wanted to bring Ty Lee with her and Zuko only to find that the noblewoman had broken up with Zuko the previous day after a month of heavy arguing. Nobody dared speak her name to the young Firelord – they were happy being alive, thank you.

And so the blissfully lazy week stretched on full of beach days and game nights as well as catching up and sparring. Nobody even suggested going to see the Ember Island Players again – their last encounter was still far too fresh in everybody's minds. But the more time that passed the more familiar they felt with each other and the less polite they felt they had to be. By the second day Toph was already putting things in Sokka's bed, causing a great uproar of laughter and merciless teasing when it was discovered that Suki had found the object and was thus in Sokka's bed. And by day three Zuko and Katara had sunk back into their own strange version of a relationship.

"Uhm…" Suki fidgeted, looking unsure of herself. At times – such as this one – she was rather forcefully reminded that she was, technically, the last one to join the Gaang and was therefore a bit out of the loop when it came to certain things. "I may be wrong but Katara and Zuko don't seem to be… getting along. I thought she'd forgiven him…?"

"Oh she has," Sokka assured her airily, biting hungrily into a peach and spraying juice everywhere. "Vis ish jush ow vey are," he continued, mouth still full.

"Yeah their arguing isn't like normal arguing," Aang told the Kyoshi Warrior with a smile. "It's just the way they've found they can cope with each other. They're actually the best of friends. I mean, Katara went to stay with him when we…"

The young Avatar broke off, looking uncomfortable. Even Toph knew to not comment on his slip-up: Aang and Katara's break-up hadn't been the tidiest of affairs and it had taken them months to become friends again. The vacation was _not _a time to open barely-closed wounds.

"Neither of them are scared of saying something that will damage the friendship so they say whatever they want when they want," Toph put in wisely, picking at her toes. "Call it brutal honesty, if you want."

"Brutal is about right," Suki murmured, raising her eyebrows as she remembered the row the two had had the previous evening.

Sokka sniggered then draped an arm around her in the casual way of his that left her stomach fluttering. "King Bumi actually put it the best," he said, waving his fruit around knowingly. "He said, 'The two complete each other in both personality and views and their friendship will always be great. But even fifty thousand years after the war is over, fire and water will still fight.'"

"Yeah," Toph snorted. "And then he said something about dissecting cabbages."

"That's not the point," Sokka huffed. "And you know it! The guy may be completely raving but he has his moments. And that was one of them."

"You'll get used to it in a while," Aang told her. "It happens so often you can't help but get used to it."

As if solely to prove his point Katara's voice suddenly exploded from where the two had gone to gather wood.

"Maybe if you _listen _and STOP YELLING AT ME!" she shrieked.

"I'M NOT YELLING AT TYOU!" Zuko's voice bellowed back

The Gaang all packed up laughing, trying unsuccessfully to muffle the sounds with their hands.

-x-x-x-

But despite the assurance they'd given to Suki the rest of the Gaang also started becoming doubtful of the peace between Zuko and Katara as the days wore on. It seemed that each hour made the atmosphere between the two benders even frostier and nothing anybody said could change anything. Finally it reached the point when neither would talk to the other at all. It was finally decided that some interference was needed, even though the mission of such was incredibly dangerous as the messenger was very likely to incur either of the bender's vicious temper. Toph, it was decided, would be too tempted to egg the two on to an actual physical confrontation and Aang was still slightly uncomfortable around Katara to be of much help. And so the task fell on the slightly unwilling shoulders of Suki and Sokka.

The Kyoshi Warrior decided to tackle Katara when she was at her calmest: while cooking. With all the casual stealth she could manage the brunette girl sauntered over to the cooking pot and ambled around for a while so she didn't look too suspicious. Finally, however, she had to admit that she had no clue how to broach the subject of Zuko. And so, with a sigh, she just dove right in.

"What are you so mad at him for? It's never been this bad."

The Waterbender's back stiffened instantly and her hand curled tighter around the spoon she was using to stir their supper. "He'll never change," she spat back, eyes narrowed and flashing. "Every single time I give him a chance he just… He's just… He only thinks about _himself_!"

It only took a while for Suki to realize that that half-baked, vague and slightly confusing tirade was all she was going to get. She returned to the others with a shrug. Sokka then bounded over to where Zuko was training and in his usual tactful way barrelled right in.

"So Katara's pretty mad at you this time. Almost spitting fire. What did you do?"

The glare Zuko sent him would have made any other man cower in fear. "_I _don't have a clue! _She _just jumped down my throat for no reason and refused to talk to me when I tried to get to the bottom of it. Then she just started accusing me of having ulterior motives and never changing and being here under false pretences. It's like she's possessed!"

"Ahh," Sokka stroked an imaginary beard wisely. "She's doing that thing again when she says one thing but really means another."

"So she's accusing me of being a traitor because she's mad about something else." Zuko's voice and face were flat.

"Women do that," Sokka replied in a knowing voice. "You, my friend, have to figure out what's really bothering her so you can make it right."

"_Me_? _She's _the one who-!"

"You have to," Sokka interrupted him loudly, "strip off her mask and delve into the inner workings of her mind. Only there will you find her true feelings and the way to sooth them."

Zuko stared at him with a look that bordered exasperated. "Remind me to never let you and Uncle begin talking about advice giving."

Before Sokka could ask Zuko had whirled around and started marching purposefully towards Katara. Seeing him coming the rest of the Gaang scuttled out of the way, wisely choosing not to get too close to the confrontation.

"They're going to end up killing each other," Toph said, shaking her head. By her tone it was apparent that she couldn't make up her mind if that was an amusing thing or not.

-x-x-x-

Katara heard the Firebender's furious approach and she felt her teeth grit at once. Anger bellowed up in her and the water she was cooking the food in began to ice over. Zuko either didn't see this or he chose to ignore it.

"Spit it out. What is your _problem_?"

His tone was so much like that of the arrogant prince that Katara had first met that it made it even easier for her to be mad at him.

"Ohhh. Now he's playing the 'innocent' part of his little charade," she mocked, not even turning to face him.

"For Agni's sake!" Zuko roared, the fire flaring up as he fully lost his temper. "What the _hell _am I supposed to be covering up, Katara? What charade am I supposedly playing? I seem to have been left in the dark about my _role _in your petty little self-narrated life story!"

Katara whirled to face him so fast she was almost a blur. The two were less than a foot apart and both of them were spitting mad. Katara actually looked like she was on the verge of attacking him. Zuko saw this and he let out a bark of humourless laughter before spreading his arms out mockingly.

"Go on," he sneered. "Attack me. Then you'll finally get what you've wanted all along. The only one who has ulterior motives here is _you_, Katara." The Waterbender was so enraged by his accusation that all she could do was snarl furiously. "One minute we're talking," Zuko yelled at her, "and everything's _fine_! And then out of the blue you drag up crap and then decide I'm the scum of the earth again!"

"We were talking, yes!" Katara shrieked at him. "And I thought we were finally fully reconciling old events. But _you _couldn't give me one good reason why what you did at Ba Sing Se would never happen again!" Zuko jerked back as though he'd been hit. "Not _one _reason, Zuko! After all this time of me _trusting _you and telling you things about me and _listening _to you, you proved once again that you are nothing but an untrustworthy traitor!"

In her voice there was the telltale tremble of coming tears. Zuko fisted his hands above his head and inhaled deeply, seemingly trying to get himself to refrain from attacking her.

"That is _bull_, Katara. Bull! You suddenly sprung Ba Sing Se" – the word was bitter with guilt in his mouth – "on me and then gave me all of three seconds to answer. And when I didn't you suddenly got it into your head that for the past year I've been using you or whatever the hell else you're trying to spew. You expect me to believe all that? I think you're using that Agni-damned awful excuse to be mad at me. Why, Katara? Why are you _always _looking for reasons to _hate me_?"

The fire flared again and the Waterbender flinched away from it, breaking eye contact for the first time. She curled her hands into tight fists at her side and, in her anger and feeling of disadvantage for being the one to look away first, she blurted it all out.

"Because it's easier to be mad at you! It's easier to pretend that I dislike you. It's easier to foster the anger and the frustration because then I can ignore everything else I feel."

Silence descended heavily on the two as they stood and glared, both panting slightly. Unbidden a blush began to rise in Katara's cheeks as she realized what she'd just said. But Zuko was still too frustrated and too wounded by her unjust anger to back down for long.

"And you accuse me of pretending," he spat. "You're the one pretending every day. You're the one wearing the mask, not me. All because… Why? I still don't understand _why_." Katara stared at him stonily, tears of frustration and anger beginning to well up in her eyes. "You want to know why I won't do Ba Sing Se again?" the Firelord pressed on, fury still raging through his body. "Because they are all my _friends_. Toph, Aang, Sokka… even Suki. I would never turn my back on them now that I owe them as much as I do."

Katara turned away. "Too little too late, Zuko." Her tone was soft and raw with an emotion that was not anger.

The Firebender all but screamed in frustration as Katara began to cook again. He fisted his hands in his hair and whirled around to go. But after taking three steps his resolve wavered and he spun around again.

"What else do you want me to say, Katara? Huh? What is it you _want _from me?" His throat was staring to hurt from all the yelling. "Do you want me to say I'm sorry?" He seemed quite content to speak to her back. "Because I am. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm _sorry_. I'll say it a million more times if that's really what you want."

Katara continued to stir her food, her lips pressed into a tight line. But even underneath the feigned disinterest and the frustration and the deep hurt she knew that Zuko apologising was something huge. A bit of guilt started to stir up in her stomach, conflicting with the anger and betrayal she felt surging through her. The concoction it created tasted so bitter she wanted to burst into tears right there and then.

"What else?" Zuko pressed on irately. "Do you want me to tell you that I regret it? I do. I regret it almost every day. Do you want me to state the obvious that it was a mistake? It was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. Do you want me to _promise _you _again _that I've changed? I will. I _have_. I honestly don't know what else you want from me!" His tone had a tinge of desperation in it now. "What else do you want me to do? Make a blood-oath? Make Toph check to see that I'm not lying?"

Katara's head bowed a little. "I want you," she said in a steely voice, "to stop leading me on. There's your honest truth." She let out a shaky laugh. "_That's _what I want from you. I want the truth all of the time, Zuko. About everything."

The anger was shocked right out of his system. For a moment his mind was left free falling, trying desperately to clasp on to some meaning or understanding of what she was saying. And then his thoughts seemed to hit the bottom with a jolt that shook everything into place. The red heat that seared across his skin was not because of anger any more. He felt like ramming his head against the wall, crawling into a hole for eternity and then setting himself on fire. Anything to avoid that exact moment. Running his hands down his face with a groan he took a deep breath and faced her back again.

"Katara." All the rage was gone but some of the frustration remained. Why did women have to be so cryptic about it for Agni's sake? Why couldn't she just have asked him the real question she wanted the answer to? "Do you want me to tell you that you're beautiful?" The Waterbender froze at once, shoulders tensing in one jerking motion of shock. "You are. More beautiful than anything or anyone… anywhere. Do you want me to tell you that you're the main reason I'd never… I'd never change sides again? You are. I don't… I don't ever want to hurt you like that again." Still she was silent and he yelled in aggravation again. "For the sake of Agni and his second son, Katara! Do you want me to tell you that I love you?" He laughed bitterly. "I do, alright? I do."

Finally Katara turned towards him, still clutching her spoon and wearing an utterly blank expression on her face. Zuko felt defensiveness rise within him at her apparent rejection, his back straightening and his eyes narrowing as they glared hotly into two pools of calm sapphire. Katara started towards him and he jerked back, lip curling as he prepared to rebuff her with some sneered insult. She reached him before he could and reached up to stroke his unscarred cheek. Her gentle touch surprised him so much he fell silent, the sneer evaporating at once.

"It's easier to pretend to hate you," Katara murmured again, tracing his face with the most peculiar expression on hers. "But then…" A smile so beautiful it made his heart race curved at the corner of her mouth. "No life is worth living if it's too easy."

He stared down at her, mouth dry and hands sweating. How it had come to that point only the spirits knew. One minute they'd been tearing each other's throats out and the next he was declaring his long-hidden love for her and she was talking about not taking life easy. Her smile widened as she saw his confusion.

"Zuko," she laughed.

And that was all it took for his common sense to shatter. Before he knew what he was doing he'd bent down and kissed her, right on the lips in the middle of the place where anybody could see them and while she had a weapon in her hands. But instead of clobbering him she stood on her toes and kissed back. Then she pulled away, gently but firmly, and returned to her pot. The pretence was being played again; the mask was back up. He stood in the wake of the mood swing feeling confused and slightly dazed. She spoke without turning around.

"When we're away from the others again we'll step out of the easy way of doing things." And then, suddenly shy and unsure, she peeked over her shoulder. "We can do that, right? Please?"

He nodded, still too stunned to even smile. "We can do that. But… uh… Katara?" She turned back to him with a question in her eyes. "Could we not pretend to hate each other quite so realistically until then?"

She burst into laughter. "Alright Zuko. Now get out of my kitchen before I freeze you to the roof for the night."

He left with a lot more questions and a greater conviction that girls were insane. But maybe, he mused as he sat by the rest of his family, insane wasn't such a bad thing. And maybe, just maybe, Katara's mask would be as difficult, as painful and as rewarding to get rid of as his Blue Spirit one.


	2. History

**Day Two: History**

**AN: **This is sort of a double whammy. In addition to being my second entry for Zutara week it is also my prize-fic for the wonderful Lost Soul Here who gave me my 800th overall review. When I asked, she replied: _Could you do something that's based on Maiko and Kataang (even though I COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY ship Zutara) where Zuko and Katara had a "fling", but something happened that forced them apart? Flashbacks would be AMAZING. Sort of angst-ridden and whatnot._

This is a complete fail because a) I turned the fling into a very serious relationship, b) my flashbacks are atrocious, c) my atrocious flashbacks are written in a kind of very bad Mills and Boon style with way too many trimmings, d) this is pathetically short for a prize-fic, e) the angst is not angsty enough at all and f) the Kataang and Maiko is seriously forced worse than M Night's 'The Last Airbender' script. In fact, overall I like this fic as much as I like being kicked in the gut. But as much as I fussed and faffed and re-wrote and edited-to-death it still remained… all that it is.

Lost Soul Here, please feel free to laugh or spit disgustedly at my attempt and request another try. Everybody else, be aware that a re-write of this is almost probable. All of my Zut Week entries are crap but really…

On a positive note thanks for everybody who made my reaching 800 reviews possible. You guys are superbly amazing and I really do appreciate every single one of you. Those who didn't review thanks for reading and/or favourite-ing; they make me feel honoured too. I will understand if you flame this. I dishonour my ship and the greatness of the reviews I have received.

Lots of italics= flashback.

**Disclaimer**: Avatar: The Last Airbender is not mine. Zutara week is not mine; I only revel in it. This fic is now the property of Lost Soul Here.

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><p><em>Feather-light kisses dripped onto her skin like soft raindrops carried over on a breeze. The breeze came from her own lips as she sighed; right then she could think of no moment that was more amazing, more complete, more captivating. Not even the sweltering heat of the summer bothered her there in her little cocoon of bliss. The grass was soft beneath her back and the sky was blue; the recipe of the happiness that had clothed her for the past month. She rolled over slightly so she was facing him, the sight eliciting a wide smile from her lips. He traced her curved mouth with a gentle, natural air and her hands claimed his free arm as her own to hold. She took in the difference in their skin tone with affectionate wonder, tracing every line and ridge on his arm that she did not have. <em>

_He watched her examine, his mood becoming slightly wearier. He was not yet used to having her in that way – the change had been as sudden as it had been easy and right. She laughed at his insecurity and tipped her face up towards his to tease him about his apparent vainness. The words died on her throat when she again caught sight of the left side of his face. Instead she found herself murmuring that he had no need to worry. Not about that sort of thing. Not with her, not ever. _

_His distinct smell overpowered the scents of high summer as he leant closer. There was a look on his face that told her her words had sunk in to a place that he kept guarded above all else. A rush of pride swept through her as she realized her words had touched him more than he would ever admit. Then all other thought vanished as he cupped her face. He hardly blinked for the long minutes he stared at her. _

_Then the words swept gracefully from his lips, their path natural and easy as though they'd taken flight before when in reality it was the first time he was voicing them. "Katara, I love you." _

With a little jerk and gasp the Waterbender woke. It took her a few minutes of confused blinking to remember where she was and what she was doing. Then she remembered and she slowly pulled herself out of bed. The uniform stone of the Western Air temple made her toes tingle slightly as she made her way over to the small closet where her clothes were. She ignored her usual garb and instead began pulling on the fancier blue dress that had been specially made for her as thanks for her efforts in ending the war. She washed her face and hair at the stone basin quickly and without much enthusiasm and then began combing her tangled tresses up into a fancy knot that was appropriate for fancier gatherings.

She wished she hadn't dreamt of him today, of all days. The memory that had plagued her sleep was fresh in her mind and she knew – from past experience – that it would not go away for the rest of the day. This was more of a problem than other times because of the little party Aang and her were hosting at the Temple. The guests coming were prestigious and most of them were Fire Nation. They were the people that had the tensest relationships with the Avatar and his means for peace and so the evening was very important.

And she was ruining it already by losing her concentration hours before it began. Abandoning her hair she buried her face in her hands. Maybe it was _because _she knew he was coming that she'd dreamt of him. She searched her heart for emotions linked to his coming and she found dread, despair, weariness and the faintest hint of resentment. But those weren't the emotions that had her gripping at her carefully pinned locks in desperation. She could deal with not wanting to be around him. It was the ever-present, inextinguishable pull that she was unable to handle.

"_Katara, I love you." _It was funny how she could remember every rise and fall of his voice, especially from moments like that. A knock on the door startled her upright and she blurted 'Come in' before she could really think about it. Laughing grey eyes met her and some of the oppressive weight on her chest lifted. She managed to smile for him and he made his way over to her in the half-bouncing, half-gliding fashion that only he possessed.

"Wow. You look so pretty."

She turned back to the mirror to critique his assessment and his arms snaked around her from behind.

_She stared at herself, delightedly surprised at how much she enjoyed wearing the dark red robe. Fingers used to fur trailed over the silk in wonder, and she smiled. Strong arms wrapped around her from behind suddenly, their owner burying his face in the part of her hair that hung loose. He breathed in deeply, as though inhaling a part of her and then moved his mouth to her ear. _

"_You look amazing." Then a smirk entered his words. "You know, for a peasant." _

She blinked herself back to Air Temple, blue dress and different arms. "Thanks, Aang."

Her gratitude was genuine but muted. He seemed to pick up on her desire to be alone – something about him that she knew she loved – and he left with only one more kiss to her forehead. And the silence returned, filled to the brim with more memories that fought hard to resurface. Shutting her eyes she forced herself to think of the man that had just left her room; every detail of his looks, the quirks in his personality she adored, memories they made together, emotions he made her feel. Surrounding herself with those things she continued to get ready so she could help lay out the food.

x-x-x

"_Do you know that you look the part of the Firelord when you dress that way?" _

"_Oh and every other time I look like I'm just pretending?" _

_Laughter echoed around him and he felt himself shiver ever so slightly as though the sound rippled across his very skin. The laughter in his private two patches of ocean quelled the rage that had sprung to life with her comment. _

"_No, stupid." He'd let that one slide, just this once. "What I mean is, when you're dressed like that people can see at once who I can see inside." _

_He raised his eyebrow at her, a little sceptical even as his heart glowed. "You've been listening to Uncle," he accused. _

_She pulled a face that made the lines on his face relax somewhat. "That did turn out cheesier than intended," she admitted. "But that doesn't mean that I wasn't being totally serious. Zuko." She looked at him with that expression that made him feel pinned to the spot and able to fly as high as the heavens all at once. "You can do this." How she'd known about his silent, overwhelming doubts he'd never know. "I promise you - you can do this." _

"_So you're not going to run as soon as I step onto that balcony?" He'd only half been attempting to lighten the mood with a joke. _

_She smiled wanly and slipped her fingers through his. "I'm not going anywhere." _

"So this is the Western Air temple."

Zuko jolted back to the present and looked around a little wildly, confused at the scenery that had changed while he'd been wallowing. Then he landed back in reality with a little bump as the pressure of Mai's hand in his sank in. He tried to think up something intelligent to say in response to her comment but could find nothing. Fortunately for him the noblewoman had never expected a reply; she had just been remarking on something in the same way one would remark about new things that only just tickled your intrigue.

The Firelord saw now that they were nearly at the courtyard from where music and voices were flowing tantalisingly. The sounds and smells brought him up short, his sudden stop jerking Mai to an abrupt one. She turned to look at him, confusion flickering in the very depths of her eyes. The emotion was barely discernable and the overwhelming remembrance of a face that showed all feeling swam at the back of Zuko's mind. The gold eyes before him softened and Mai paced back towards him.

"Hey."

He looked at her almost unseeingly, willing to do almost anything if it meant not setting foot in that room. The plagues of his dreams were in that room; plagues that were dipped in bittersweet loss and plagues that had him so wound up with worry he could barely move at times. This second lot of plagues were the powerful people of his nation – people who did not trust him and his leadership skills. People who grumbled and plotted and undermined and were prestigious enough to influence the rest. That type of people was present in every nation but he felt the brunt of the sons and daughters of fire the most out of all of them.

"Zuko. It will be fine. Almost everybody is won around to your side by now."

"Yeah. Almost."

"That's what this party is for. To start reeling the others in. It won't help, however, if you're not present."

"One party will not change everything." His tone was bordering on snappish.

"No." She sighed. "But Aang planned this with his usual hope. And things seem to work out right for him. Don't they?"

He nearly burst into bitter laughter at the stinging truth of her words. "Oh yes. In every occasion."

She gave him an impatient face and then dragged him the rest of the way to the courtyard. As soon as they entered he was allowed to slip into automatic mode, greeting and politely conversing with everybody that crossed his path. The usual pattern lulled him into a comfortable sense of security that was shattered brutally when Aang finally spotted him. He turned at the greeting from his left expecting another nobleman who he had to exchange social pleasantries with. Instead he got a full blast of the sight of dark skin and his lost bits of the ocean. His _stolen _bits of the ocean.

_The sound of footsteps made him glance to the door. And then the very breath was knocked from his lungs at the sight. The Earth Kingdom dress was the lush green of the palace gardens in spring. Her hair was pulled up loosely and she even had make-up on. He was pleased to see it was only a little – he didn't want any bit of her face to be obscured. In that moment he allowed himself to forget etiquette and he drank the sight of her in with the stunned dawning of insight. Her face tinged with a red hue and she fiddled nervously with the garment she wore. _

"_Is it too much for a first date?" she asked, sounding forlorn. _

"_No. No, it's perfect. Really." _

_She smiled shyly at him and then bit her lip, as though at fault. Lowering her voice guiltily she confessed, "I have training clothes on underneath." _

_The awkward ice surrounding them shattered and he smirked. "Maybe they will allow you to actually be competition to me when we spar later." _

_Her eyes narrowed and her smile widened. "I'm going to kick your butt. _And _you're still paying for dinner." _

He was reminded right then that, although she was beautiful in everything, she looked most stunning wearing her native colour. Then reality slapped him through the face and he absorbed the way her hand was laced with the Avatar's. Simultaneously he noticed her glancing at Mai's hand in his, some of the sparkle in her eyes dying. A vicious emotion rose in his chest and he fought it down with every possible inch of strength in him. As much as it hurt he had to be content with the devastation that was her on another man's arm.

Somehow both of them managed to come across as normal during the conversation. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Aang was excited and sociable enough for all of them. He could not, however, pretend to be disappointed when they parted ways. He wanted to find some dark corner outside where he could Firebend until he felt nothing at all but the pressure on his arm kept him grounded. More encounters with more noblemen and noblewoman followed but all he could do was drown in himself.

Finally he managed to surface and comprehended that while he'd been floating soullessly through the day Mai had been doing all the talking. Mai, who bored easily and detested showing too much emotion, especially to strangers. Mai who would rather have been anywhere else but who had come because of him. Impulsively he dragged her out to the dance floor, seeing a spark of delight flash like a blink across her face. Neither of them were dancers but the feeling of rhythm and music was new and he caught her smiling more than once. His heart softened. The woman he held loosely in his arms meant more to him than he'd remembered on that day. He allowed himself to remember her, slowly pushing the ocean aside for a warm flame.

That was how things were: the destiny he wanted belonged to the Avatar.

x-x-x

Of course they had to be the last people to leave. A part of her blamed the sprits even as reason tried to tell her that it was because they were her and Aang's friends that they lingered until nobody else was around. Polite conversation flowed between the four of them; meaningless words to her ringing ears. And then they were thankfully saying goodbye and she was melting in his eyes again, struggling to breathe and to keep her tears hidden.

_Screaming and crying had left her throat raw and her face salty and dry. They had never moved more than a foot from each other but their voices had risen as though they were standing on opposite sides of The Great Divide. She felt too numb to feel anything else. Every bit of her seemed to have shattered more and more with every word exploded into the air. And she felt a million times worse because of the hurt she could see in his eyes. _

"_If you leave" – his voice was hoarse and cracked, driving her dead heart into even more agony – "then we can never come back. To this." _

_It was not a threat but a clarification. Some things in life were so devastating they had to be said aloud. She choked on her sob. _

"_I know. Once I walk out that door it's over. And… And I'll probably regret stepping out for every day of the rest of my life." She had to let him know that. She couldn't bear to do what needed to be done otherwise. _

"_Then don't leave." _

_Hearing him plead nearly broke her on the spot. But she drew on her last reserves and remained standing. She had to sever everything if either of them were to fully live after tonight. _

"_You know I can't stay. Both of us know that. Zuko… some things just cannot be, as much as they want them. We have no control over the big issues in life." _

"_Bull!" Stubborn, as always. "We must have some control! I refuse to let my life be ruled by fate!" _

_She stared at him sadly, the tears leaking from her eyes again. She had nothing left in her alive enough to feel as he began to cry too. She looked him over, taking him in for the last time in her life. _

"_Goodbye, Zuko." _

_She could say nothing else. She fled the room and left a part of herself there for eternity. _

"Goodbye, Zuko."

"Bye, Katara." His eyes told her that he remembered too.

How she made it back to her room in one piece she would never know. The tears started as soon as she closed the door. And after she'd cried for him for ages she cried for Aang and Mai – for the guilt she felt for dragging them through their mess. She knew Mai loved Zuko and that Zuko loved her back. This fact was as undeniable as the sun rising every morning. She knew she loved Aang – she always had and always would. And although Aang was not Zuko and Mai was not her things had to settle into what they were always destined to be.

They were, after all, only mortals. Zuko and her had lived as gods for a while, tasting heaven and sleeping on the stars. But the simple truth remained that the world needed a strong Avatar and a Fire Nation intent on peace. For that they needed a loving, guiding, knowing hand for the Avatar and a woman who was cut out to be Firelady in every aspect of her being. She was that hand and Mai was that woman. No amount of hope or praying would ever change that.

She knew too – despised it with the part of her heart that still belonged to Zuko – that things would get easier over time. They'd always long, always remember, always think of heaven and the stars. But they would be more than content with their lives on earth. The spirits had paired them up well, and they would both find happiness. She just had to remember that and stop selfishly clinging to the past.

Her and Aang had a future – one that filled her with joy even in those broken hours after the party. Her and Aang had a bright, certain, exciting, challenging future. All she and Zuko had was history.


	3. Social Networking

**AN: **Day three! Is everybody enjoying themselves so far? I know I am: the stuff people are churning out this year is just amazing. And the amazing response I've gotten just blows my mind. Thanks to every single person who is reading this line. That means you, too. =] Okay so day three also gave me a bit of trouble because – despite the fact that I've written about three already – I don't like modern AUs. There are exceptions to this rule – please don't get me wrong – and I know I'm a bit of a hypocrite for saying it but… I still don't like it.

So after humming and hawing for a while this finally popped up. It's shudder-inducing, cliché and about as original as my left shoe but there you go. I've changed it about four times and right now I'm just fed-up with it so it's gotta be posted and over and done with. If you want to skip this one you won't be missing much. So be my guest.

**Warnings: **Quite a lot of swearing in this one. Nothing extremely bad but still take heed. There is possibly an overdose of OCC in here so beware of that, too. Er… Some Aang- and Mai-bashing, although not a lot. And I took some liberty with the way Facebook chat works =P They change it every week, anyway.

**Disclaimer: **Avatar: not mine. Zutara Week: not mine. Facebook: not mine. Originality: obviously I don't own that either.

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><p><strong>Day Three: Social Networking<strong>

_Zuko is now online_.

**Katara: **What's up my biffle?

**Zuko: **Sokka, is that you? Katara is going to be really miffed if she finds out you stole her Facebook again.

**Katara: **It's not Sokka, it's me. Sokka's over at Suki's house.

**Zuko: **Are you drunk?

**Katara: **No! Jeesh, why would you even ask that?

**Zuko: **Because you're acting like your brother. Only he would say something as crazy as 'biffle'. What the heck does that mean, anyway?

**Katara: **It's the way you say BFFL. Best Friend For Life? Where the heck have you been – under a rock?

**Zuko: **Well forgive me for not knowing every word used in Internet slang. Why have you suddenly latched onto it? You usually hate that sort of thing as much as I do.

**Katara: **I know. I've just been talking to somebody who uses them a lot. And I wanted to see if there was a word I could use to describe our relationship. You know that this year we've been the very best of friends for ten years?

**Zuko: **Wow. I've really put up with you for that long? You can use any word to describe our relationship EXCEPT biffle. It sounds like a new attempt by Disney Channel to create a series.

**Katara: **Harsh. Somebody's in a bad mood.

**Zuko: **Yeah, yeah.

**Zuko: **Okay, I'm sorry. I'm just… having a bad day.

**Katara: **You've been like this for a while. What's up?

**Zuko: **Nothing. This is just the way I am.

**Katara: **Maybe with other people, Mr Sour Boots, but not with me. Come on, spill. You've always told me everything.

**Zuko: **Just forget it.

**Katara: **No.

**Katara: **Come on. I have an hour before Aang picks me up.

**Zuko: **Aang? Bald Aang?

**Katara: **Do we know another one?

**Zuko: **You're letting him take you on ANOTHER date?

**Katara: **Yeah, actually, I am.

**Zuko: **Two-years-younger than you Aang? The guy who thought it was 'Flameo' to be able to go to a rated movie with us? The one who had a near hernia when you offered him chicken?

**Katara: **Yeah, that Aang. And, actually, he's a damn near better than what YOU'VE got. Emo Mai who strung you along for two years? Mai who has the personality of a soap dish? Mai who finally left you because she couldn't handle how frustrated she made you? Yeah, you have every right to criticize my relationships.

**Katara: **Oh, crap. Zuko, I'm sorry. That was really, really uncalled for.

**Katara: **Zuko? Come on. Please at least yell at me.

**Katara: **Zuko…

**Katara: **I know where you live… I'll just come over and make you see me…

**Zuko: **If you do you'll be late for your babysitting job tonight.

**Zuko: **Oops. My bad. I gave my honest opinion. Are you going to bring up my sister next?

**Katara: **Okay, I kinda deserved that. I'm sorry, okay? It's just that I'm trying so hard to be happy and everybody's just bringing me down because of this. Nobody has anything but condemnation to give and I'm really sick of it.

**Zuko: **Maybe that's because they know you're being stupid for choosing him.

**Katara: **Why? Who cares if he's two years younger? Age is just a number. He's sweet and he's funny and he's kind and loyal and… I already really care about him.

**Zuko: **See? There it is right there. You've just told me yourself that you know it's not the best thing.

**Katara: **Are you on crack? What the heck are you talking about, Tony Montana?

**Zuko: **Oh, sure. Bring the scar into this. Nice.

**Katara: **I know you can handle that sort of teasing from me. It was supposed to lighten the mood and lure you into explaining your messed-up thoughts to me.

**Zuko: **Big surprise: it didn't work.

**Katara: **Zuko. Please? Unless you were just making it all up.

**Zuko: **I wasn't.

**Katara: **Well then…?

**Zuko: **Katara. You said 'I'm trying so hard to be happy' and 'I already care about him'. That tells me that you're forcing yourself to make it work with Aang because he's the closest or the easiest or whatever and that you actually see him as a younger brother.

**Katara: **Who are you, all of a sudden? Dr Phil? Since when do you start reading between the lines and crap like that?

**Zuko: **a) I prefer Sigmund Freud. b) I've known you long enough to pick up these things about you.

**Zuko: **Go ahead and truthfully tell me I'm wrong.

**Katara: **It's not that Aang is the closest or easiest. He's the ONLY. It feels so good to be… wanted like that, you know? It feels good to be complimented and… and… wooed.

**Katara: **And don't you DARE say I've been reading too many romances. I will kick your ass; this has NOTHING to do with that. This is my life.

**Zuko: **Already gotten the romance novel speech, huh?

**Katara: **Plenty of times. I swear I will throttle the next person I hear it from.

**Zuko: **Uh-huh. And you wonder why no man wants to date you. Violent witch.

**Zuko: **What about that masked guy?

**Katara: **The Blue Spirit?

**Zuko: **You've been flirting with more than one masked guy over the past couple of months?

**Katara: **No! And it's not flirting.

**Zuko: **Right. And I'm captain of the football team.

**Katara: **OKAY. It's not JUST flirting. It's… talking, too. Getting to know each other. Slow and cautious yet sweet romance.

**Zuko: **You make it sound like all the worst films rolled into one.

**Katara: **Shut up. You know I can't describe it right. But it really is amazing. It's like… It's like I've known him for years and years but I'm only discovering a new side of him now. So I feel safe but intrigued and… I feel like I can tell him anything.

**Zuko: **But you're going out with Aang.

**Katara: **It's not that simple.

**Zuko: **Nothing a woman does ever is.

**Katara: **Shut up. It's just… I've started to realize how ridiculous it really is. This guy invites me out of the blue and starts chatting to me. He seems to know me but I really don't know a thing about him except what he says, even though it feels like I know him inside out. We only ever speak over Facebook – we've met twice and both times he's refused to speak and instead writes everything down. And every time I've seen him and in every picture he wears that mask of his. I've NEVER seen him. That's actually kind of scary. That's the kind of thing your parents warn you about from when you're five.

**Zuko: **So now that something better and more convenient has come along you're just going to drop him. Have you even told him about Aang?

**Katara: **Why are you getting so defensive about this? You don't even know the guy! Jeesh, every single thing I try and do to be happy these days sets everybody down my throat!

**Katara: **He's a stranger, Zuko. He won't let me truly know him. And until I know who he is I can't LET myself like him, even if I really want to.

**Zuko: **So… if he came forward and told you who he was…?

**Katara: **Then… I dunno. I really do love spending time with him. It's like he answered my wishes. You know I was musing for about a month before he invited me that something like that would happen. A stranger whom I got on well with that was intent on wooing me.

**Zuko: **But you might not like who he is. You might let that influence you.

**Katara: **I hope I'm not that shallow.

**Zuko: **Then why don't you ask him to show you who he is?

**Katara: **I don't want to make him do anything he doesn't want to. I don't want him to think I'm being too pushy. I don't want the fantasy to end and I really, really don't want him to leave.

**Zuko: **You don't want it to end but it's not good enough for you anymore.

**Katara: **Reality is sometimes crap compared to fantasy but at least it's real.

**Zuko: **Yeah, maybe. But you're not choosing reality when you choose Aang. You're just creating a whole new fantasy for yourself.

**Katara: **Look, I don't know what your problem with him is but you're going to have to suck it up. I'm going out with him on a third date tonight and pretty soon he's going to start hanging out with me even more. That means you're going to be seeing a lot of him.

**Zuko: **Unless I stay away from you.

**Katara: **If you are even considering that then you are not the person I thought you were at all. And then I don't want to be in your company any more than you want to be in his. Possibly less.

**Zuko: **You know I don't want to break off our friendship.

**Katara: **No, Zuko. I actually don't know that.

**Zuko: **Fine. Then maybe you're not the only one who's been living in a fantasy about other people. Enjoy your date.

**Katara: **Wait!

**Katara: **Don't you dare leave!

**Katara: **Zuko!

**Katara: **You'd better still be on!

**Zuko: **What.

**Katara: **I'm damn sorry, okay?

**Katara: **FFS. Do I really have to say it?

**Katara: **FINE. You talking about leaving hurt, okay? You really are my best friend in the world. I can't do this without you. I'm sorry for being a B with an itch, okay?

**Zuko: **Fine.

**Katara: **And?

**Zuko: **And what?

**Katara: **Say it.

**Katara: **Go on!

**Zuko: **Say what?

**Katara: **Zuko.

**Zuko: **Oh for the love of… Katara. You're my very best friend too. I won't ever think of leaving you. Okay?

**Katara: **It's shoddy, but it'll do. It'll do.

**Zuko: **Go jump off a bridge.

**Katara: **Lol. Why is it that we get into fights and arguments so easily? We practically tear each others throats out at least twice a day.

**Zuko: **We're too similar in some aspects, Uncle says.

**Katara: **And you're stubborn and egotistical.

**Zuko: **Katara, let me tell you a story about a pot and a kettle.

**Katara: **And hypocritical. And arrogant.

**Zuko: **And you're the main reason I feel like punching the wall every day and your flaws cannot be put down into words. Peasant.

**Katara: **Great, insult my skin colour.

**Zuko: **'I know you can handle that sort of teasing from me.'

**Katara: **Touché. Touché. Now could you try and give me your approval? Please? I really need somebody backing me on this.

**Zuko: **Katara… I don't know if I can do that.

**Katara: **PLEASE, Zuko. At least pretend.

**Zuko: **I really don't think I can do that.

**Katara: **Why not? What is it about this caring, sweet, funny guy that has you preparing yourself for a war? He's not your enemy or something!

**Zuko: **I just can't, okay?

**Katara: **No, not okay! I want a reason, Zuko. I want a damn reason why I can't count on my best friend to support me through this when I so badly need it. If you could just give me one reason. ONE.

**Zuko: **Just freaking drop it!

**Katara: **No! Give me an answer, Zuko. You owe it to me! Don't you dare think you're better than this.

**Katara: **Zuko! Give me a damned reason!

_Zuko has tagged a picture of you_.

**Katara: **What the hell is that? Distractions are NOT going to work.

**Zuko: **Just look at it.

**Katara: **Zuko. Did you just take that photo now?

**Zuko: **With my phone.

**Katara: **Holy crap.

**Katara: **Oh my holy crap.

**Katara: **What the hell.

**Zuko: **Uncle brought it back from his trip for me a year ago. It's been stored away so it didn't get damaged until Uncle or I finally put up a hook for it on the wall.

**Katara: **Oh moon and water spirits…

**Zuko: **I'm sorry, Katara. I don't really know what I was thinking. You just seemed so desperate and before I knew it things had blown way out of proportion.

**Zuko: **If it helps I hated lying to you.

**Zuko: **Katara?

**Katara: **It was you. All along.

**Zuko: **Yes.

**Katara: **You're an asshole.

**Zuko: **Yeah. I've gathered.

**Katara: **Did you mean any of it? Any of the things you said?

**Zuko: **Yes! Everything. I swear it. On my life. My identity was the only thing I lied about. I promise.

**Zuko: **Katara, I know you're probably really, really ticked off but please just… try and listen, okay?

**Katara: **And the kiss?

**Katara: **Did you mean that too?

**Katara: **And so help me, Zuko, if you lie right now…

**Zuko: **Yes. I meant that too.

**Katara: **How much?

**Zuko: **What?

**Katara: **How much did you mean it?

**Zuko: **A lot?

**Zuko: **With everything?

**Zuko: **What are you asking?

**Zuko: **Katara?

**Katara: **Why the hell did you have to change everything! We've been FRIENDS for so long! Now what do we do? What happens if this makes us hate each other? What the hell am I going to do then?

**Zuko: **I don't know.

**Katara: **You never think ANYTHING through! ASS. HOLE.

**Zuko: **Alright, I get it already. I screwed up. Again. Now what the hell are you going to do?

**Katara: **I am going to get ready for my date with Aang.

**Zuko: **Perfect.

**Katara: **YOU do NOT get to be sarcastic with me right now! I am MAJORLY mad at you!

**Zuko: **Mad enough not to forgive me?

**Katara: **I don't know. It all depends on how it goes.

**Zuko: **How WHAT goes?

**Katara: **Our date.

**Zuko: **What?

**Katara: **The one you're going to take me on. Tomorrow night. No mask, no writing. Just you and me going out to dinner. We'll take it from there. If you haven't screwed things up between us completely then I'll be able to forgive you.

**Zuko: **What happens if I have?

**Katara: **We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

**Zuko: **Brilliant.

**Katara: **Zuko?

**Zuko: **No sarcasm. My bad.

**Katara: **No, it's not that.

**Katara: **Well, it is.

**Katara: **But also…

**Katara: **That kiss? It was amazing. If I'm being really honest I don't think we have much to worry about.

**Katara: **Pick me up at seven tomorrow. And for pity's sake don't be as awkward and nervous and clumsy as you were when you took Jin out. That was just painful to watch.

**Zuko: **You said you didn't see that!

**Katara: **I lied.

**Katara: **You don't get to be mad at me for it. Not now.

**Zuko: **Right.

**Zuko: **Katara?

**Katara: **Yeah? What?

**Zuko: **Even if I screwed it up I'm going to work hard to fix it. I'd much rather just be friends with you and endure you dating other people then losing you completely. I'm not going to let you go without a fight.

**Katara: **I'd kick your ass if you felt any other way.

**Zuko: **Friends forever, and all that cheesy crap.

**Katara: **Yeah. Or maybe more than friends.

**Katara: **Goodnight, Zuko.

_Logging out_.


	4. Secret

**AN: **Like I stated previously, this year's prompts were done in a bit of a rush. I went away for most of my vacation and so I had no computer on which to type. I came home three days before my school started again and I _knew _that once it started I'd have very, very limited time to write fics. And my school started a week ago which meant I only had one week, anyway. So I was just a leetle stressed.

When I saw this prompt I immediately went into an internal war with myself: Should I re-post _Secrecy _or should I write a whole new fic? _Secrecy _would have fit so perfectly and it was posted so long ago… But in the end I knew I just couldn't do it. So the heat was on to find something else to write about.

And pretty soon I came up with this. I've had this idea for a Korra fic brewing in my head ever since the show was announced. I'm going to wait until the show comes out, however, so I can suss things out a bit before I actually write it. This plot idea includes a few mentions of events that happened before Korra was around. While I was thinking about Korra I suddenly realized that I could actually use one of the events I plan to mention and actually write it out.

And that is what gave rise to this. You will, obviously, see this again. So if you don't like it you know you probably won't like that future fic =P As with most things you build up inside you when this came out it didn't come out as great as I expected. But I still love the idea (and this writing style is so much fun to do even if it does make the fic terrible) so please, be gentle. I know it's not very plausible at all and that Zuko and Katara are almost horribly OCC and a whole lot of other problems. I'm really sorry for that – I will possibly come back and edit this in the year before Korra arrives.

I hope it isn't too awful. And con crit is so, so welcome. I do apologise for using Zutara Week to give life to my plot bunnies.

**Disclaimer**: None of it is mine except the idea of The Night. And I highly doubt anybody would want to claim or steal that.

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><p><strong>Day Four: Secret<strong>

Some people said that the appearance of two comets in the space of three years was a sign that the world was about to end. Even those who believed the doomsday prophesies could not entirely stop the excitement that the second comet brought.. It's name was unknown; it was called only the Spirit Comet because of the bridge it built between the spirit world and the normal world with its coming. Many stories surrounded its origin, purpose and strange appearances. Nobody could quite pinpoint how many years it took before it again passed their skies but its coming was always heralded by the stars glowing an unearthly colour a week before it arrived. It would be visible to the people for longer than Sozin's comet was: almost a day and a half. It's peak – the time when it was at its most glorious – would happen, as it always did, at night.

And that comet-protected night was the Night of the Coveted.

Nobody knew when or where the tradition started. Tales and speculations and curses about the Night were recorded in the scrolls of every nation, tribe, kingdom or temple – scrolls that dated back to times long, long before the war. And although some disapproved none would dare oppose the ritual.

Thus the Night arrived tinged with anticipation and an almost unearthly thrill.

The Night of the Coveted was named rather appropriately, yet still discreetly enough not to give too much away to younger ears when it was discussed. The 'ritual' of the Night was rather simple, yet it had been known to cause as much devastation as an attack. The Night of the Coveted was the one night where a person was allowed to go and be with the one he or she desired but could not and did not have. Guys sought out the girl that was snatched up by somebody else and girls went after their first loves. Everywhere people went and met with the person they loved yet knew they could never have because of circumstance, a deeper love for somebody else or the hand fate had dealt them. It was the one night in a person's life when what could have been could happen for a few short hours. And whatever happened during the course of the Night could never, _ever _be questioned, discussed or dwelled upon.

The secrets of the Night of the Coveted would remain veiled and unjudged forever.

The night air was pleasantly cool on Katara's skin as she reclined on the hill and watched the stars. The comet was the brightest thing in the sky, lighting up the world as if it was day. The moon was nowhere to be seen. A part of her suspected that this was because not even the spirits got to behold the happenings of that night. The Waterbender chewed her bottom lip gently, her heart clenching ever so slightly as she thought again about the Night. She had only heard of it a week ago, when the signs of the comet's coming had blazed themselves across the sky. A part of her was disgusted at the allowed infidelity. But another part of her understood the world's need for such a night. She was, however, wise enough to know that the actions of the Night may be pretended away by everybody else but they would stay with you for the rest of your life. Once you allowed yourself to feel something as strong as even selfish love you would never forget it.

A girl ran a few feet away from Katara, giggling as she dragged a boy after her. They were obviously on the hunt for a secluded place to spend the Night doing spirits-knew-what. A bit of her reproached, disgusted, at the thought. Another bit of her smiled in supportive glee for the good fortune of the girl. And the last part of her shriveled as she was forcefully reminded that she sat alone.

She didn't know where Aang was. And, quite honestly, she didn't want to know. She didn't want to know if he was asleep or meditating or with another girl. She knew she'd never be able to bear it if the latter was true. She wondered then, for only a split second, if he was with Toph. In a twisted, heartbreaking way it would make sense.

Katara shut her eyes, burying her face in her hands to try and push out the thoughts and feelings. She could not think about the Night and its implications, not only because it hurt and caused inconceivable jealousy but also because it awakened other feelings inside her that she could not face.

She lay back and again watched the stars, pulling out constellations and trying to remember the stories that went behind them. A movement made her jerk to the side only to see the first and last person she wanted to see right then. Zuko, attracted by her movement, swiveled to face her at once, face surprised. He relaxed when he saw who it was and then quickly realized he might be interrupting something. His eyes scanned the grass around her and came up empty. At the same time Katara was looking over his shoulder, the same automatic expectation in her head as was in his. When the minutes stretched and no Mai appeared she understood.

They found understanding in each other's eyes.

Slowly Zuko made his way over to her, silently lowering himself to the ground beside her. Neither of them spoke nor looked at each other. Instead they turned their sights back to the heavens, both gazing at the stars but not seeing much at all. Katara shifted and her hand brushed Zuko's. She stiffened, expecting something to happen, but the silence continued to blanket around them.

Then, abruptly, Zuko stood up. His entire body was tense and his jaw was working. He had taken all of a dozen stamped paces away from her when he stopped and turned back, mouth wordlessly attempting to explain himself to her. Katara watched and understood. His gold eyes were burning and the floodgate opened in her head. She sat up and curled in on herself, not unlike she had when he'd tumbled into the catacombs after her those years ago in Ba Sing Se.

She couldn't think those thoughts. She couldn't remember _those _memories. She couldn't feel those emotions. Not about Zuko. Not even on the Night of the Coveted. Not about Zuko.

Her eyes were huge and almost petrified as she looked into his burning eyes, pleading silently with him as her heart thudded and her breathing hitched. When she thought she was going to enter a state of near-hysterics Zuko moved, walking towards her and grabbing her hand. His pull was direct enough for her to know for sure what he wanted but gentle enough for her to refuse. Both of them knew she should refuse. Both of them knew he shouldn't have been asking in the first place. Both of them knew that some things were not given to them because they were just too purely devastating.

She allowed him to pull her to her feet, allowed him to lead her – silently – back to his palace. She followed him dumbly, not thinking but just doing. He took her to the finest guest room: nobody would enter but he wouldn't have to be reminded by the Night every day. He let her go as they entered, leaving the door open behind her.

A way of escape.

And suddenly he seemed shy; embarrassed and unsure. It was so endearing a smile pulled itself across her face and through her eyes. Her reaction made him smile back and her chest ached at the sight, drinking it in hungrily. That one expression on his face seemed to her more rare than even the occurrence of the comet. Driven by instincts long suppressed Katara moved forward and tenderly ran her fingers across his scar. Zuko shuddered beneath her touch but did not pull away even half an inch, keeping his eyes open and boring into hers.

Two memories surfaced. One a green-hued prison full of tentative beginnings and promises and awe-struck new feelings. The second a flash of deadly blue light suddenly being blocked by flesh and red and gold clothing.

The second image burned into her mind and set her skin on fire. She backed away from him quickly, never once tearing her gaze from him. She knew she had to leave. Once would be one time too many. She couldn't. She simply couldn't. He managed to keep his face free of any form of hurt as she turned away from him and reached the door. Her hand touched the smooth wood and she hesitated, warring with herself.

It was so unfair.

A cry shattered her long silence and she took out her anger by slamming the door as hard as she could. Then she spun around and launched herself at the Firelord, pulling his lips down towards hers.

He didn't hesitate for a second.

And then there were hands – combing, stroking, warming, changing. And the air behind her back somehow changed to a wall. Her own body heat was joined by another's. Neither of them thought; the thoughts had made themselves known too many times before. They knew the thoughts by now. Hands and lips joined together in purpose and they moved on and on – desperate, hungry, relieved, overjoyed.

Damning.

She pushed and he pulled. She inhaled and he exhaled. He held her tight and she let her arms slack against his neck. Perfect harmony and balance. Perfect destruction.

They somehow made it over to the bed, her fingers shakily relieving him of his top. They sat and she ceased her exploration of his mouth so she could lean forward and kiss the mark on his chest. She kissed it over and over again for all the times she would want to kiss it in the future and would be unable to do so. He undid the sash of her dress and somehow that made it more difficult to breathe instead of easier. Her body fitted beneath him perfectly as he hovered above her on his hands and knees.

Hopeless harmony was shattered by a distant, fizzing boom.

Both looked to the door quickly but it was still closed. Their inspection turned to the window and the noise was explained: fireworks. Both stayed frozen as they watched the pinwheels of colour race across the sky. Zuko knew he would never find them attractive again. Not after the kisses.

He leant over her again and gently, slowly kissed her from her forehead to the base of her neck. All the wildness was gone from him, replaced by a warmth that was even more captivating to her. And then, deliberate and slow, he hovered right over her and placed a chaste, feather-light kiss to her lips.

At that moment the last, special firework screeched across the sky. And the Night of the Coveted was over.

The proud, mighty Firelord sagged on his arms, head hanging and hair thankfully concealing his face. The Waterbending Master crawled out from under him – careful not to touch him at all – and quickly retied her dress. Then she walked silently from the room, shutting the door behind her.

She barely made it back to her room before the tears came.

She had tasted heaven but was only good enough to live with earth. But she would remember the taste for as long as she lived. Even though she knew it wasn't good enough to destroy everything to own she would remember it for the rest of her life.

That was her secret to take to her grave.


	5. Awkward

**AN: **At the risk of sounding egotistical I have to say that I like this one. It's still full of OCC moments and clichés and not enough meat but my really lame humour was allowed to shine through on this one and so I had a blast writing it. Hopefully somebody else will like it, too. And hopefully everybody else will overlook the speed at which everything happens.

I've started to pick up that I always seem to have these cheesy little over-dramatic ending lines. And most of them contain the prompt in them. This is annoying me. I really have to look into changing that. My writing does not need any more things counting against it. :/

Thanks a ton for all the reviews and faves and alerts and _everything_. You guys really have made my week.

**Disclaimer**: None of it is mine. Unfortunately. BUT that may change tomorrow… *fingers crossed*

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><p><strong>Day Five: Awkward<strong>

It started with an awkward awakening.

The one-year anniversary of the end of the war had seen parties and celebrations flare up in every living corner of the world. Even the memorials of those who had fallen could not puncture the joyful mood that rushed in the very air that everybody breathed. And the relief was even more poignant than the joy in some cases such as the Firelord and the Avatar. Both young men could scarcely believe they'd been able to keep the peace for as long as a year.

And with the joy and the celebration came the drinking. Many people overlooked age limits on that day and many others ignored the rules set by their parents and drank anyway. Toph had been the one to supply the alcohol for their little party that consisted of the original eight gaang members – Appa and Momo were officially part of the family – and Iroh, as it was the Jasmine Dragon they were all staying in to get away from politics for a while. Toph and Iroh took to the wine and other assortment of drinks first. It turned out that the retired general was even better at singing a few drinks in than when he was sober.

Sokka followed next, his natural curiosity finally overpowering him. Suki followed his example when she tasted the drink on his lips and decided she liked it. It was discovered that the Kyoshi Warrior gained a personality similar to Ty Lee's when she was intoxicated. Sokka didn't seem to mind at all. Aang steadfastly refused the drink but Zuko and Katara gave in to their own curiosities as well as the peer pressure and took to the drink together.

After that the night became a blur of dancing, singing, over-exaggerated stories and declarations of affection to everything from a distraught-looking Momo to Iroh's prized teapot. The next time things became clear was when the morning light was finally so strong that she could no longer ignore it. Cracking open even one eyelid required a great amount of effort and rewarded her nothing but an increase in the headache that was pounding a symphony behind her temples. Deciding she would sleep for the rest of the century she made as if to pull the covers of the bed she found herself in over her head. The blankets were hindered by something. Grumbling she felt around to get rid of the object robbing her of her sleep.

Her searching fingers found a hand. And then an arm. Her sluggish mind took a few minutes to process her findings and then her eyes shot wide open and she sat bolt upright, ignoring her headache. She was momentarily distracted from her horrific findings by the next piece of horrid information; she was clad only in the new underwear she had acquired when she found out that Earth Kingdom dresses were not to be worn with thick Water Tribe wrappings. Dragging the covers over her chest with a mortified squeak she finally dared to see who was sleeping in the same bed as her.

She nearly died when she saw the pale skin and black hair of her enemy-turned-best-friend. Just when she was about to climb out of bed, find her clothes and _get out _Zuko began to wake up. She found she could do nothing but watch him in mortified horror, her entire face flaming with a red deeper than Zuko's robes. Which, incidentally, she could see lying by the door.

It took about a minute for Zuko to realize he was not alone. He jumped so badly he nearly fell out of the bed. The Firelord stared at her, his eye popping and his mouth working like a fish on dry ground. Slowly his ears, neck and unscarred cheek turned the same colour as hers as he seemed to stumble to the same conclusions as she had.

"What the heck happened?" he finally managed to croak out hoarsely.

Katara, eyes wide, shook her head. "I was hoping you could tell me."

"The last thing I remembered was Toph drowning Sokka in the punch bowl."

The silence that followed made both of them want to crawl in a hole and die. Katara was very sure she'd never been in a more awkward situation in her entire life and she'dbeen the one to give Sokka 'The Talk'. Zuko cleared his throat in a way that let her know he was as uncomfortable as she was, if not more. Both of them wanted to run out the room and forget about how they woke up but both weren't exactly properly dressed and neither wanted to be the one to broach that subject first.

"Did… Do you…" He cleared his throat again. "Do you think something… happened?"

It was impossible for Katara to blush any harder. "I don't know." Her voice was tiny. "Do you think something happened?"

"Great spirits I hope not." His voice was almost a whimper.

A new emotion cut through Katara's embarrassed haze: She was insulted. Zuko didn't have to sound so repulsed by the idea of her and him together. And with the insult came the hurt and feeling of rejection that made her want to crawl right under the blankets, cry and beat him to death simultaneously. Zuko must have seen the look on her face because his own expression became even more mortified than before.

"No! That's not what I… I… You… I mean…" He blinked rapidly and then blurted out, "Toph!"

"What?"

"I remember following Toph. Last night."

Comprehension dawned and a faint memory began to resurface. "Yeah… She told me that she knew where my room was. That Iroh had told her but he was too drunk to show me. Or something to that effect."

Zuko scowled. "She said exactly the same to me."

The two shared a murderous glare. And then, in unison, they growled, "I am going to kill her."

"So… Nothing happened?" Katara's question was shy and laced with the last remains of rejection and hurt that had so unexpectedly washed through her.

"No, I don't think so. I think I was asleep by the time Toph brought you here. Or I wasn't and you were. Or we were both semi-awake but not enough to realize the other was there."

"Yeah. I uh… Yeah. I think so too." She was finding it hard to squash the unbidden feelings still lingering in her.

Perhaps it was because of the lingering effects of the alcohol or perhaps it was because of the fact that he found himself almost naked in a bed with her. Whatever the reason, Zuko's next words were, "I'm glad nothing happened because I don't want to do anything when I'm too drunk to remember it."

A second later he wished somebody or some divine being would come in and kill him. Katara just stared at him with very wide eyes and mouth slightly agape. Then another blush tinged her cheeks and she looked away, picking at a flaw in the cover. The silence stretched on, heavy with embarrassment and insecurity. Finally Zuko could take it no longer and he told her he was going to get dressed – after setting his teeth and steeling his nerve, of course. He found and yanked on his clothes in double-quick time and then shut his eyes to allow Katara do the same.

Just when he thought he was home free he reached the door at the same time she did, bumping right into her. He blushed _again _and both tried to make the other leave first. Finally he grabbed Katara's shoulders and forced her towards the door. She paused in the doorway and looked back at him, hair falling prettily over her flushed face.

"Zuko?" He grunted his uncomfortable assurance that he was listening. "Maybe… Well… I… Uh…" She took a deep breath and tried again. "It wouldn't be too hard. Trying to make 'things happen' when we're sober."

Then, as though she'd said something ugly or devastating she shot out the doorway, leaving the Firelord in rumpled robes and shocked mortification.

It was fuelled by an awkward conversation.

Zuko had been training; minding his own business and focusing on nothing but the forms and the flames. He'd been utterly calm and utterly concentrated: lost in the sensation of Firebending just for the fun of it. Sokka had sauntered over and ruined his wonderful mood with one question.

"So what are your intentions regarding my little sister?"

It turned out that Sokka had heard via Toph – he was going to throttle her once he got his hands on her. He swore it – that Zuko and Katara were set to go on a date. The more Zuko tried to protest that it wasn't that big of a deal, that they'd both just agreed to it so they could try it out and that neither of them really knew what they felt for each other at all the more obstinate Sokka got. After ten minutes he seemed to get it into his head that Zuko wasn't serious about Katara and that he was just leading her on. Zuko's vehement denial of this then led the Water Tribe Warrior to believe Zuko was _too _interested and for all the wrong reasons.

What followed for the next half hour was a conversation Zuko was sure could be likened with having one's fingernails slowly pulled out one by one. Never in his entire life had he felt so mortified or utterly out of his depth talking to a member of the male species. Everything he said seemed to be turned against him in some way and the things Sokka wanted to warn him about… He had blushed almost continuously, wishing Toph would do him a favour for once and make the earth swallow him right then and there.

By the time Sokka left with a threat on his life if Zuko hurt his sister in any way Zuko was ready to never see the Waterbender again. If it meant being able to forget the conversation he'd had with her brother and get rid of any slight possibility of a similar conversation ever happening again he would happily abandon her forever. Well, almost. Well, okay. Not really. But for a second or two he felt like he would.

It turned out to be one of the most awkward situations of his entire life.

Zuko had been sure no engagement could ever top the atrocity that had been his and Jin's date. That conviction had held until about three seconds into his date with Katara. She looked beautiful in a simple Earth Kingdom dress and loose hair but his attempts at telling her that had just insulted her, somehow.

("That dress looks amazing, Katara. Really… uh… really pretty. It's… It's… uh… It's so much prettier than some other… Like the other day I saw this girl walking around in this blue _thing _and compared to that you look amazing." There had been a pregnant pause. "That girl was you, wasn't it?" "Yeah, it was." "The blue thing was your mother's?" "Yep.")

And so they made their way to the restaurant in stony silence. When he finally got her talking to him again she wanted to speak about the most random topics – topics that he really didn't know how to get into. The conversation was dry and halting. It was like he was speaking to a stranger.

It took him until half way through the meal to realized Katara was trying to be polite and proper. Excited by his revelation he launched into polite and proper conversation topics of his own and as a reward got an even more awkward and halting conversation. Especially after he, in his haste to put his new revelation to use, ended up spraying it instead of saying it. And then desert came.

He swore on his crown he would never, ever re-live what happened when the desert came. Not even in the slightest memory.

They left in almost miserable rage, gaining some looks because of the desert that clung to his clothes and her hair. He had planned for them to stroll around Ba Sing Se as twilight descended so they could talk without being rushed or overheard. The walking part happened. The talking part didn't. He stepped on the back of her shoe as they walked, nearly causing her to barrel into a brick wall. He was sure the nature of their company was the only thing that stopped her from gutting him with an icicle right then and there. After a while she tried again to make things go smoothly by pointing out a pretty bird to him. Her hand, in its motion to point, slapped him so cleanly through the face that he actually staggered back a few paces.

After that neither of them spoke and the air between them was heavy with misery, frustration and so much awkwardness they were sure it had to have a stronger, more menacing name. They finally reached the place she was staying and stared at each other – not quite in the eye – as they shifted from foot to foot.

"You have… In your hair…"

She reached for the bit of peach tangled in her locks but missed it. Zuko reached forward and gently pulled it out, showing it to her as if she had demanded proof. She took the piece of fruit, stared at it, and then burst out laughing. Zuko blinked at her.

"Zuko," she giggled. "What on earth are we doing?"

"I don't know." He sounded mournful and frustrated all at once.

"Oh spirits." She was still laughing, tears beginning to form. "You when you picked me up… And me trying to act all proper and talk about those _stupid_, _ridiculous_ things…"

He was beginning to see the funny side too. Although it was grudgingly. "And both of us taking so long to order the waitress nearly threw us out."

"Oh Yue! And des-"

"Don't! Don't even _say _the word!"

She dissolved into peals of laughter again, obviously now thinking the situation was hilarious. Zuko felt his shoulders relaxing, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth.

"And," Katara gasped. "Me slapping you through the face… I'm… so sorry…"

"And your shoe." He grimaced apologetically.

Her smile was wide and beautiful, causing her eyes to sparkle. "I guess that wasn't exactly perfect, was it?"

"It was a bloody disaster."

"I still had a good time, though." She suddenly turned shy, shifting into herself as though in defense.

He wanted to agree with her and tell her that even though it was the epitome of an awkward disaster he still didn't _really_want it to end. But no words would come and she was suddenly looking at him with eyes that were expectant in a way he'd only seen twice in his life before. Once – the first time – had been in that very city. And he hadn't picked up on the expectant desire and so she'd made the first move. He was determined to do it right this time. And so, plucking up his Badass Firebender courage he leant in and kissed her.

He just about missed her lips. He caught her instead halfway on the cheek, which – he tried to consol himself later – was still better than halfway on the chin. And the kiss created no fireworks; no utter and complete conviction that kissing her was the only reason for his existence. It didn't even last long enough for him to truly savour it. She broke away, face flaming almost as much as his. For a moment or so she lingered, both suddenly aware they had _no _idea what to do next.

"Well… Bye, then."

He leant in to hug her as she started to turn away. Seeing his advance she halted and leant in towards him as he leant away. Both of them hesitated and then leant in at the same time, their bodies swaying awkwardly as they tried to judge which side they had to go. She ended up being hugged with her arm squashed to his armpit while she squashed his face into her shoulder.

After the disaster of a hug ended she rushed away, face flaming and legs fueled by the desire to get away from the awkwardness as quickly as she possibly could. Her foot caught on the edge of the step and she was sent sprawling, only just managing to keep her footing.

"Are you-?"

"Fine! I'm fine!" She didn't even look behind her.

When the door closed behind her Zuko banged his head against the wall, cursing himself and the spirits and every feeling in him that had thought that a date with her was a good idea.

As he turned to leave the door opened again and Katara flew out. Her kiss was better aimed than his but still too hasty to be perfectly on target. And that second time he knew. As she flew back inside again – the whole moment lasting less than a minute – he understood why he'd endured it and would definitely endure it again.

Because if awkwardness was the price he had to pay for her he'd pay it gladly.


	6. Legendary

**AN: **Another one that needed the dictionary. Once again I was completely ready to go with The Blue Spirit and The Painted Lady. But nooo. So I had to try and do something else. The end result is a bit of a fail. Scratch that, it's a fail, point blank. It has no sustenance, it's ridiculously short, most of it is almost directly copied from the show itself and the fluff isn't even that fluffy. This just proves that my stuff is really not up to scratch this year. I actually feel kind of ashamed.

Even so I do have an excuse for this one, at least. On one's birthday one gets to sloth around, negate chores, accept a ridiculous amount of hugs, accept all gifts given no matter how outrageous, eat lots of junk and write horrible, pathetic excuses for fanfiction. I can only use this one once a year so… There it is =P

Maybe somebody will find this okay. Or they'll just pretend because they feel sorry for me. =P

**Disclaimer: **Got lots of lovely gifts but Avatar wasn't one of them. Drat.

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><p><strong>Day Six: Legendary<strong>

Legendary:Of, described in, or based on legends.

_Once upon a time, before Ba Sing Se's first great stone had been laid, the might of the Earth Kingdom lay divided between two villages. These two villages were separated not only by earth and nature but by hatred as well. The war between them had been going on for too many years for anyone to remember why it had started in the first place. Their power was equally matched – even though they battled fiercely there was never a winner._

_The great Badgermoles of the Earth Kingdom did not like the fighting and they devised a plan for peace. A plan that centred around two young people – one person from each village. Every night the Badgermoles added to the splendour of the mountain that divided the two villages, trying desperately to attract their chosen people._

_Finally, the day came; a beautiful woman named Oma and a handsome young man named Shu both decided to visit the mountain on the same day. They met at the very top of the mountain and did not recognise the sign of the enemy on each other's faces. By the time they realized where the other called home it was too late; they had already fallen in love. It was not the Badgermole's original intent for love to bloom but true love cannot be planned or chartered; it runs wild and free._

_Because of the war between their people they could not be together. But their love was strong and they found a way. The two lovers learned Earthbending from the willing, wise Badgermoles and they became the first Earthbenders of the world. They built elaborate tunnels in the dividing mountain so that they could meet frequently in secret. Anyone who tried to follow them would be lost forever in the labyrinth._

_But one day the man didn't come. That day was the one he had been given the honour of fighting for his own village. He was killed in the war, leaving his lover to mourn him. Devastated, the woman unleashed a terrible display of her Earthbending power. She could easily have destroyed them all._

_But instead she declared the war over. Both villages helped her build a new city where they would all live together in peace. The great city was named Omashu as a monument to their love. Oma never married and – when the time came – she took moved her lover's grave to the heart of their cave in the mountain. There she created a tomb for both of them and finally allowed herself to be reunited with her love in the spirit world._

_Love is brightest in the dark._

A little finger stroked the last inscription on the scroll lovingly. That particular legend was her favourite; it held a revered place on her table with all her most prized possessions. She couldn't remember a time when she hadn't known the story of the Two Lovers and she was glad – she didn't want to know a time when she did not know the story.

Suddenly two warm arms circled her and she giggled in delight, snuggling into her mother's arms. Her mother kissed her hair and then smoothed the wild bits out of her face. The little girl made room for her mother on the bed with her, snuggling more into the arms she loved best in the world and further under the warm blankets.

"What are you reading?"

"The tale of Oma and Shu."

Her mother laughed lightly, tapping her on the nose. "Haven't you gotten sick of that one yet?"

Vehemently she shook her head, alarmed that her mother would even think that way. "Never," she promised in an imitation of the strong, commanding voice her father sometimes used.

Her mother knew who she was copying and she laughed, the action causing her bed to shake in a way that made her feel entirely happy. Only one thing was missing, and he was in a meeting. She fingered the scroll for a moment and then looked up at her mother.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

She loved the fact that she had her mother's wonderful eyes. When she was really scared she would find a mirror and pretend it was her mother looking out at her.

"Why didn't the villages let them be together? _They_ weren't at war with each other. Why couldn't the village just overlook the bad feelings just once?" It was a pressing question that had been bothering her for a long while.

"Sweetheart…" Her mother hesitated. "War is a very complicated thing. And when you don't like some people sometimes you convince yourself that all people like them or coming from the same place as them are evil and bad too."

There was a sadness on her mother's face that she somehow knew – instinctively – had nothing to do with the story. She snuggled closer and frowned, her young mind trying to comprehend why what was so simple to her was not simple to grown-ups. And then a truly terrifying thought occurred.

"Mommy? You said when you first read me the scroll that the legend reminded you of you and Daddy." Frightened eyes looked up. "Did Daddy almost die too? Because of the war? Did you nearly not love each other because you came from different places that didn't like each other?"

For the longest time her mother hesitated. Then she added very, very quietly, "Yes, sweetheart. People were against me and your Daddy getting together. And…" She winced like she'd gotten slapped "Yes, your Dad nearly died because of the war."

Huge eyes turned huger in utter horror. "But you saved him," she insisted shrilly.

Even though she knew her father was only a few rooms away she had to hear it from her mother. She had to hear that everything was still alright. Her mother's hands stroked her face soothingly.

"I saved him." A big smile lit up her mother's face. "And we changed the minds of everybody who thought we shouldn't be together."

"Did you two have a secret cave, too?"

Her mother laughed. "Actually, we did, in a sense. But not in the same way as Oma and Shu." She was quiet for a while and then she smiled in slight wonder. "And it was in the Earth Kingdom too… Huh…"

"It's sad, though. It's sad that their legend ended like that."

"Who's legend?"

She sat up at once, face transforming into one big smile as her father came in. Eagerly she held out her arms and he swooped down and hugged her. The second pair of arms she loved most in the world enveloped her and she curled into the warmth her father always radiated. He smelled like his nation and she utterly adored that about him.

"Oma and Shu," her mother answered his question as he let her go and sat on the bed beside the both of them.

Her father sighed. "Wow, we haven't heard that one in a while. It's been nearly two days."

"Da-ddy," she whined while her mother slapped him playfully on the arm.

"You really like that story, don't you?"

"Yes! It's like yours and Mommy's story. Except sadder." Her face fell for a while and then an idea so brilliant it nearly made her jump out of bed right then and there hit her. "I know! I'm going to write your story! Then there will be a legend just as great but with a happy ending!"

She beamed at her smiling parents proudly, delighted by her idea.

"That sounds wonderful, Princess." Her father stroked her hair gently. "But you can't put our first kiss in it."

Her face turned scandalised. "Why not?" she demanded.

"Because it was not legendary. Your mother tasted of fish and smelled of sewer."

Her mother grabbed her pillow and hit her father with it as hard as she could, scowling and blushing. Smirking her father grabbed her mother's wrists and pulled her in for a kiss.

Then he leaned towards her and said in a conspiratorial whisper, "But every moment since that kiss has been legendary."

This seemed to pacify her mother, who smirked and called her father an 'under-cover cheese ball'. Both her parents then tucked her in, kissing her goodnight and placing the scroll back on its place. She clung to her father for longer, telling him how much she missed him. He cradled and kissed her and she suddenly knew that both her and her mother were very, very lucky girls to have him.

Then he was putting out her light and grabbing her mother's hand as they walked out. She watched their silhouettes exiting her room and she smiled sleepily to herself. She dreamed of dragons and wars and of a love strong enough to transcend wars, traditions, borders and the damage of time.


	7. Caught

**AN: **I can't believe it's over =[ The artworks and fanfictions were amazing. It's so wonderful to see the ship still alive. And my gosh did I get wonderful feedback even though none of my fics warranted it in the least. Thank you all so much for your kindness, awesomeness and help.

This one had me going back to the dictionary again because I honestly didn't have a clue what to write. I didn't want to go the whole 'Zuko and Katara get caught kissing' route but my brain was stuck on it. And when I turned to the dictionary page I couldn't decide which definition to pick and write about. Then I had a brain-twitch (It can't be called a wave.) I decided to take all seven definitions I was considering and write a little drabble about each of them. Seven drabbles for the seven days of Zutara. The original idea was to make each drabble 100 words so that the whole thing would be 700 words but… Yeah. It's very hard to shut me up. I still made them as short as I possibly could, though, and ended up with only 815 words extra. (-_-). It's probably obvious that I've never written a drabble before, isn't it? Despite that I hope somebody enjoys one of them, at least.

Thanks to all who read, reviewed, faved, alerted or lurked. Hopefully I caused no damage or disappointment to anybody. If I did I am so terribly sorry: I swear I will try harder next year. And maybe I'll see some of you before then =] Stay Flameo!

Xo Written Parody

**Disclaimer**: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Zutara Week and the ability to re-live a week does not belong to me.

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><p><strong>Day Seven: Caught<strong>

She had honestly just gone to ask him if he'd spar with her. The rest were all too tired or too irritated after the long fly to the Fire Nation palace to want anything to do with her desire to train. And Zuko had always been a good match to her skills – sometimes _too _good for her liking. She had headed towards his private study, knowing instinctively that he would be there because his daily meetings and appointments were done.

She only heard the raised voices when she was right at the door, just about to knock. For a moment the surprise at the ferocity of the argument within froze her in place. Then she became rooted as the muffled voices filled her in on what was happening. Horror, pity and mortification flooded through her veins but she could not move. And then the final word was said and there were footsteps coming towards the door. Automatically she flung herself behind the first plant she could, cowering behind the leaves and praying she wouldn't be caught.

Mai passed her quickly without noticing. But just as she breathed a sigh of relief another wearing red parted the leaves and stared down at her with a blank face and furious eyes. For a long time they stared at each other.

"How much did you hear?" His voice was flat.

Katara got up and hugged him, trying to squash all the pain from him in the one movement. He let her embrace him, his entire body in turmoil at the fresh wound that was his break-up. Nobody seemed to remember she'd just been caught eavesdropping.

x-x-x

The rebels from the Earth Kingdom had caused enough fuss for all of the old gaang members to be called over to help. Katara found herself loving being able to take part in an actual fight again – the six months since the end of the war had brought her nothing that could satisfy the warrior side of her. She was second best at fighting with Appa after Aang and so she was paired with the great bison as they all attempted to quell the latest, most vicious riot.

Everything was going according to plan until seven archers all fired at Appa at once. He tried to remain airborne but the attack was too great. Katara screamed for him as he tumbled, flinging her out of the saddle and into nothing but air. She couldn't work up the nerve to even scream – terror held her mute. As she fell she thought of faces, flickering through them with flashes of deep, unyielding affection of varying degrees. She wondered if she'd miss them.

The last face was the one she focused on. Pale skin, black hair, wild temper, red-hot aurora. She shut her eyes and clung to his burning, golden eyes. Suddenly – a jarring impact followed by some more falling and even tumbling. The impact was not nearly as hard as she knew it should have been.

The first sight she saw was those eyes, tinged with worry. He relaxed when he saw her awake and then smirked in a way that told her he really wanted to boast about how well he'd caught her. And she couldn't find any part of her that wanted to shut him up.

x-x-x

She knew it happened: there would be times when the healer would need to be healed. But she had never expected it to happen to her – she was immune to such embarrassing situations. Until she was not. She dreamed wild things in that week as the fever raged through her body and every pounding of her head reminded her she was spending her holiday cooped up in bed.

Everybody pitched in to help but nobody did more than Zuko. As soon as they discovered that his natural body heat made her feel better at once he almost never left her side. Thanks to him it took her almost no time at all to heal.

It was when she went to thank him – yet again – for giving her back her vacation that she realized she would not get any time to spend relaxing after all. Instead she'd be (willingly) spending her time with Zuko who had caught her illness from her.

x-x-x

The vacation came to an end and it was with a heavy heart that she got the Fire Nation's newest train with the rest of her adopted family so she could be taken to the docks and then sailed home. She had really grown to love the Fire Nation, even though she hadn't seen much of it between being sick and healing Zuko. But even so the land suddenly had a pull on her that was almost addictive. She wanted more and she wanted it all the time.

As she traveled she kept playing Zuko's goodbye over and over in her head. He'd looked like he'd wanted to say something more to her, but the words had not come. When she'd looked back at him through the window she could see that those glorious eyes of him were burning as they locked onto hers.

Her heart had never felt as it did in that moment.

It was by complete chance – or a helpful twist of fate? – that she found the note in her pocked. Zuko's handwriting was instantly recognizable, even though the note contained only three words: _Katara, stay. Please._ She thought of him and especially those eyes and knew she could not deny him his request.

She caught the first train back to him.

x-x-x

The night was no more remarkable than any other and the mood was as it usually was. Nothing at all led her to suspect what the end of the evening would bring. Iroh was visiting and they had a huge feast with just the general and themselves. She supposed, later, that that should have been her first clue; she fitted in with Iroh and Zuko's private way of communicating as easy as if they'd shaped her for it. And Iroh made no remark at all of how long she'd been there seeing the Nation.

After the dinner he took her out in the twilight and taught her more about the turtleducks, scooping up a duckling for her to hold. Then they lay on the grass and watched the stars come out and they talked as they usually did. No pretenses, no walls, no trimmings. Blunt and honest and trusting.

She'd gotten a leaf in her hair that she could not remove and so she asked him to take it out. Innocent, unsuspecting. He did as she asked and then stayed half-leaning over her, seemingly gauging her expression. She looked up at him, felt herself freeze and then turn into the casing of a heart that was beating far too fast to be normal.

Zuko's kiss caught her perfectly on the lips.

x-x-x

The Firelord had been acting strange all day, but she'd put it down to nerves about a new law or new council member or something. She accepted his invitation to dine out with him, thinking he was trying to find a way to de-stress himself. But as the evening wore on it was hard not to notice that he became tenser and tenser with each passing minute.

Finally she could stand it no longer and she demanded to know what was wrong. He had suddenly become a mute, unable to utter a single sound. She'd prodded, poked, threatened, blackmailed and sulked. Finally he found his tongue.

But the things that poured from his mouth were halting, contradictory and nonsensical to the extreme. When it was clear she did not understand he tried to back out, looking more mortified and dejected than she'd ever seen him. His hurt had hurt her and she tried to get him to talk again, this time by coaxing. He rambled some more things in a mumble that did nothing for her clarity.

And then she saw that he was holding a piece of fine Fire Nation satin. And it clicked suddenly that it was probably just the right size to fit around her neck.

She finally caught his meaning and began to cry. He was utterly alarmed until she kissed him and told him yes about a million times.

x-x-x

Katara was caught in two unrelenting prisons. One of them was a large expanse of tangled sheets that wove around her entire body like a cocoon keeping her almost utterly immobile. Her other snare was even stronger – pale, muscular limbs that held her tight and close as their owner slept on. She contemplated getting up – she'd always been one who loved her freedom, after all. And she'd always had the habit of rising as soon as she awoke to stretch or bend or do other little things in. She had _never _been one to partake in the practice of just lounging in bed. But the contemplation lasted only a minute before she snuggled closer, becoming even more caught in blankets and Zuko's arms.

It was time for new habits. She was, after all, a married woman now.


End file.
